Physical Geodesy

The text gives the basics of Physical Geodesy, i.e. the scientific discipline concerned with the determination of macroscopic gravitational fields. The scripts consist of twelve chapters, which can be divided into three parts. The introductory section in Chapter 1 introduces the concept of geodesy. The second preparatory part in Chapters 2-4 focuses on coordinate systems; fields, differential operators and tensors; and orthogonal function systems. In the third part, Chapters 5-12, specific problems of physical geodesy are taken up, namely: solution of the Laplace equation, selected parts of potential theory, development of the gravitational potential and its higher derivatives into a series of harmonic functions, the actual gravitational field and its geometry, normal and disturbance gravity fields, gravimetry and altitude, and outer boundary tasks.

These scripts are unique for at least two reasons. First, a wide range of gravitational field quantities are considered in the form of the gravitational potential, three components of the gravitational potential gradient, and six components of the second-order gravitational tensor. Second, the mathematical apparatus is not limited to symmetric spherical geometry, but is systematically developed for the much more complicated geometry of the rotating ellipsoid. The scripts are primarily intended for students of geomatics at the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the University of Applied Sciences in Pilsen. They can also be used by students of geodesy at Faculties of Civil Engineering, or students of geophysics and mathematical modelling at Faculties of Mathematics and Physics.